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Care Guide

How to Check if Your Bonsai Needs Water

👆 Finger Test (Most Reliable)

Insert your finger 1-2 inches into the soil. If it feels dry at this depth, it's time to water. The surface may look dry while deeper soil is still moist.

🥢 Chopstick Test

Insert a wooden chopstick or skewer into the soil for 10 minutes. If it comes out clean and dry, the soil needs water. If soil sticks to it, wait another day.

⚖️ Weight Test

Lift your pot after watering to feel its weight. As soil dries, the pot becomes noticeably lighter. This method improves with experience.

Proper Watering Technique

  • Water thoroughly: Water until it runs out the drainage holes, ensuring the entire root system gets moisture.
  • Use room temperature water: Cold water can shock roots, especially in winter.
  • Water slowly: Pour gently to avoid disturbing soil and roots.
  • Check drainage: Water should flow freely from drainage holes. Poor drainage leads to root rot.

When and How to Mist

  • Morning misting: Best time is early morning so leaves can dry before evening.
  • Around, not on: Mist around the plant rather than directly on leaves to avoid fungal issues.
  • Fine spray: Use a fine mist spray bottle, not heavy droplets.
  • Humidity boost: Misting increases local humidity, especially helpful in dry indoor environments.

Misting Guidelines by Season

🌸 Spring/Summer

Mist daily in hot weather, especially if humidity is below 50%. Increase frequency during heat waves.

🍂 Fall/Winter

Reduce misting frequency as growth slows. Indoor heating can dry air, so monitor humidity levels.

⚠️ Avoid Misting If:
  • Your bonsai has fuzzy or succulent leaves (like Jade)
  • There's poor air circulation
  • The plant is in a very humid environment already
  • You notice any signs of fungal problems

Understanding Light Needs

☀️ Direct Light

Unfiltered sunlight. Most outdoor bonsai need several hours daily. Can be too intense for indoor species through glass.

🌤️ Bright Indirect Light

Bright area without direct sun rays. Ideal for most indoor bonsai. Near a south or east-facing window.

⛅ Filtered Light

Sunlight filtered through sheer curtains or tree canopy. Good for sensitive species or during hot summer months.

Signs of Light Problems

🔆 Too Much Light
  • Leaves turning yellow or brown at edges
  • Leaves curling or wilting despite adequate water
  • Rapid soil drying
  • Bleached or faded leaf color
🌑 Too Little Light
  • Leggy, stretched growth reaching toward light
  • Pale or yellowing leaves
  • Slow or no new growth
  • Leaves dropping from inner branches

Seasonal Light Adjustments

Move your bonsai closer to windows in winter when light is weaker. In summer, you may need to provide some shade during the hottest part of the day.

Why Humidity Matters

Most bonsai prefer humidity levels between 40-60%. Indoor environments, especially with heating/cooling, often have much lower humidity (20-30%), which can stress your tree.

Ways to Increase Humidity

💧 Humidity Trays

Place a shallow tray filled with water and pebbles under your bonsai. As water evaporates, it increases local humidity. Keep pot above water level.

🌿 Grouping Plants

Group multiple plants together. They create a microclimate with higher humidity through transpiration.

💨 Room Humidifier

Use a room humidifier, especially during winter when indoor air is driest. Aim for 40-50% relative humidity.

🚿 Bathroom Placement

Bathrooms often have higher humidity from showers. Good option if there's adequate light.

Signs of Low Humidity

  • Leaf tips turning brown and crispy
  • Leaves dropping more than usual
  • Soil drying out very quickly
  • Overall plant looking stressed despite proper watering
💡 Pro Tip

You can buy an inexpensive hygrometer to monitor humidity levels around your bonsai. This helps you understand your environment better.

Types of Pruning

✂️ Maintenance Pruning

Regular trimming to maintain shape and size. Remove dead, diseased, or crossing branches. Can be done year-round for most species.

🌿 Pinching

Removing soft new growth with fingers. Gentler than cutting and encourages denser foliage. Best for conifers and delicate species.

🔄 Structural Pruning

Major branch removal to change tree structure. Best done during dormant season. Plan carefully as this affects long-term design.

When to Prune

🌱 Growing Season (Spring/Summer)
  • Light maintenance pruning
  • Pinching new growth
  • Removing dead or diseased material
🍂 Dormant Season (Late Fall/Winter)
  • Major structural pruning
  • Heavy branch removal
  • Tree can focus energy on healing

Pruning Guidelines

  • Use clean, sharp tools: Prevents disease transmission and makes clean cuts that heal better.
  • Cut at an angle: Angled cuts shed water and heal faster than flat cuts.
  • Don't remove more than 1/3: Never remove more than one-third of foliage at once to avoid shocking the tree.
  • Step back frequently: Assess your work often to maintain overall balance and design.
⚠️ Avoid Pruning When:
  • Tree is stressed from repotting, disease, or environmental changes
  • During extreme weather (very hot or cold)
  • If you're unsure - research your specific species first

When to Repot

🔍 Signs Your Bonsai Needs Repotting:
  • Roots growing out of drainage holes
  • Water runs straight through without being absorbed
  • Soil has become very compacted or broken down
  • Tree hasn't been repotted in 2-3 years
  • Growth has slowed significantly despite good care

Best Time to Repot

Early Spring: Just before the growing season begins. Tree has energy to recover and establish new roots. Avoid repotting during dormancy or peak growing season.

Repotting Process

1️⃣ Preparation

Gather fresh bonsai soil, clean pot, root rake, and pruning shears. Work in shade to prevent root drying.

2️⃣ Remove from Pot

Gently remove tree from pot. Use a root rake to carefully tease apart compacted roots.

3️⃣ Root Pruning

Trim up to 1/3 of roots, focusing on thick, circling roots. Keep fine feeder roots intact.

4️⃣ Fresh Soil

Use well-draining bonsai soil mix. Position tree and fill with soil, working it between roots.

5️⃣ Aftercare

Water thoroughly, place in protected location for 2-4 weeks. Avoid fertilizing for 4-6 weeks.

Repotting Frequency by Age

  • Young trees (under 5 years): Every 1-2 years
  • Mature trees (5-10 years): Every 2-3 years
  • Old trees (10+ years): Every 3-5 years
💡 Soil Mix Tip

Good bonsai soil drains quickly but retains some moisture. A mix of akadama, pumice, and lava rock works well, or use quality commercial bonsai soil.

Watering Problems

💧 Over-watering Symptoms
  • Yellowing leaves that feel soft and mushy
  • Leaves dropping even though soil is wet
  • Fungal growth or mold on soil surface
  • Musty or sour smell from soil
  • Black or brown, soft roots
🚑 Treatment:

Stop watering immediately. Improve drainage. Remove affected roots and repot if severe. Increase air circulation.

🏜️ Under-watering Symptoms
  • Leaves wilting, curling, or becoming crispy
  • Soil pulling away from pot edges
  • Leaves turning brown from tips inward
  • Soil feels bone dry throughout
  • Rapid leaf drop
🚑 Treatment:

Water gradually - don't flood suddenly. Soak pot in water for 10-15 minutes if soil is very dry. Increase watering frequency.

Pest Problems

🕷️ Spider Mites

Signs: Fine webbing, tiny moving dots, stippled leaves

Treatment: Increase humidity, spray with water, use insecticidal soap

🐛 Scale Insects

Signs: Small brown or white bumps on stems/leaves, sticky honeydew

Treatment: Remove manually with soft brush, use rubbing alcohol on cotton swab

🦟 Fungus Gnats

Signs: Small flying insects around soil, larvae in soil

Treatment: Reduce watering, use yellow sticky traps, top-dress with sand

Environmental Stress

🌡️ Temperature Stress
  • Sudden leaf drop after temperature change
  • Leaves curling or wilting despite adequate water
  • Brown leaf edges after cold exposure

Prevention: Avoid drafts, gradual temperature changes, protect from extreme temperatures

💨 Draft Stress
  • Leaves drying out on one side of tree
  • Uneven growth patterns
  • Rapid soil drying

Prevention: Keep away from vents, doors, windows with strong airflow

🆘 Emergency Actions
  1. Assess quickly: Check soil moisture, look for pests, note environmental changes
  2. Address immediate cause: Adjust watering, move to better location, treat pests
  3. Be patient: Recovery takes time. Avoid making multiple changes at once
  4. Monitor closely: Check daily for improvement or worsening symptoms

Care Reminders

Care Journal

Last Watered Never
Last Misted Never

Notes

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